EURO BEACHES | BEING THERE
Acitrezza, Sicily The key ingredient of eastern Sicily’s beaches is black volcanic rock, courtesy of Europe’s most irritable volcano, Etna, which dominates the inland landscape. The best of these is at Acitrezza, a small town about 16 kilometres north of Catania that in recent years has become the beach destination for locals in-the-know. Part of the reason is the gravelly beach, set against dark, imposing cliffs that slide into a clear sea of splendid turquoise – active volcanoes are an occasional inconvenience, but their busy minerals do provide some stunning colours. The nightlife also impresses: not too hectic, but energetic enough to draw punters in from miles around. The clincher though is the rock stacks known as the Faraglioni dei Ciclopi – the Cyclops’ Lighthouses – for it was here, according to legend, that the giant cyclops Polyphemus tried to stop Ulysses from escaping by hurling giant rocks at his ship. Thankfully for Homer and those of us who enjoy the view, he missed.
Agadir, Morocco As city beaches go, Agadir is a contender for best in show. A favourite with winter sun worshippers, the long, wide strand that fronts the town is always a bustle of activity – there are wet-bikers and paragliders, snorkelers, the odd surfer and, occasionally, a camel train or two, yet despite the action, an air of calm pervades. Holidaymakers come to Agadir because it’s warm, even in January, and you can swim and sunbathe most of the year. The beach is lined with four and fivestar hotels, cafés and restaurants where you can work off an appetite by tucking into a tagine or sampling the delicious mint tea.
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JULY 2015